We're gonna be straight with you Glasgow: there's too much going on this week. Too much for a top 10, anyway, so we've cheated. Fair and simple. Well, not really fair - cheating, by definition, isn't fair - but you get what we mean. Below, you'll find no less than three festival-style events masquerading as single events, plus a clubby double-header that's really just two single-headers. And that's without even admitting that we're gonna use this intro paragraph to slip in a mention of Friday's solar eclipse and the best places to watch it. We really can't help ourselves.
Muse, Barrowland, Mon Mar 16
Matt Bellamy and co, the sneaky blighters, announced a series of (comparatively) intimate live shows previewing material from forthcoming album ‘Drones’ last Thursday. Naturally, it sold out before we could blink. Still, if you got a ticket, well done: you are going to the best thing in Glasgow this week. Well, except maybe the eclipse, but everyone’s going to that.
The King’s Speech, Theatre Royal, Mon Mar 16-Sat Mar 21
Who’d have thought Jason Donovan would ever be cast as ‘the old guy’? Still, here he is, taking on the role made famous by Geoffrey Rush as the speech therapist to Raymond Coulthard’s stuttering King George IV. Given that writer David Seidler penned the movie script with a stage play in mind, we’re excited to see how the live version pans out.
Glasgow International Comedy Festival, various venues, until Sun Mar 29
This week's comedy highlights include Jon Ronson, Josie Long, Stewart Lee, Bridget Christie, Richard Herring, Simon Munnery and so many more comics we honestly don't have space to list them - that's why we've listed them this more spacious comedy fest preview instead.
Buzzcut, Pearce Institute, Wed Mar 18-Sun Mar 22
The cutting edge theatre fest makes its annual bow at Govan’s Pearce Institute, with performers like Nic Green, Eilidh MacAskill, Harry Giles and Jenna Watt all contributing to the programme. It's an unticketed, pay-what-you-want theatre fest, so head along and take a punt on something new.
Glitch 2015, CCA, Thu Mar 19-Sun Mar 28
‘A queer/ trans/ intersex/ people of colour film festival’ is how Digital Desperadoes describe their 11-day residency at the CCA, though naturally they say it in neon pink block capitals. Their selection of short and feature-length film screenings is complemented by a range of ‘video art, spoken word, filmmaker Q&As, panel discussions, live music and free haircuts’ – check out their website for more info.
Rustie / Ten Walls, The Arches, Fri Mar 20
We’re cheating big-style here, since electronica don Rustie’s homecoming gig and house maestro Ten Walls’ AV show are nothing to do with each other, but sometimes a Top 10 is not enough. Anyhow, get tickets to these two shows and you’ll have a spectacular Arches-bound Friday night in place.
Mommy, selected release from Fri Mar 20
French-Canadian stylist supreme Xavier Dolan delivers a compassionate, dramatic companion film to his similarly excellent debut 'I Killed My Mother'.
Bach in the Subways, the Subway, Sat Mar 21
Enjoy some classical music for the prize of a subway ticket this Saturday morning from 10am-noon, as players from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland recite some of Johann Sebastian’s greatest hits. It is his birthday, after all.
Kiesza, O2 ABC, Sat Mar 21
By far the best thing at the Hydro-based MTV EMAs last year, Canadian house-pop artist and badass dancer Kiesza returns to Glasgow in support of her breakout album ‘Sound of a Woman’, as led by the irresistible single ‘Hideaway’.
Mega Hair, The Old Hairdressers, Sat Mar 21
The adventurous Glasgow venue celebrates its fifth birthday with a music all-dayer featuring kindred spirits Ashtray Navigations, Mick Flower, Family Elan, Ela Orleans, Apostille and Sue Tompkins.